Heat Illness Prevention in the Field: What Growers Should Expect From a Labor Contractor

Central Valley summers push well past 100°F, and orchard and vineyard work doesn’t stop for the forecast. Heat illness can move from cramps to heat stroke fast, and on a big ranch help can be a long way off.

Cal/OSHA’s heat illness prevention standard, Title 8 §3395, sets the minimum every outdoor employer has to meet. When you use a labor contractor, the crew belongs to the contractor, but the ranch is yours. Here’s what you should see in the field.

Water, close and plenty of it

Workers must have access to fresh, pure, suitably cool drinking water, free of charge, in enough quantity for each worker to drink at least one quart per hour for the whole shift. It has to be placed as close as practical to where people are working, not back at the truck at the edge of the block. Supervisors should actively encourage frequent drinking, especially on hot days.

Shade over 80°F

Once the temperature exceeds 80°F, shade must be up and large enough for everyone on a rest or recovery break to sit in a normal posture fully in the shade without crowding each other. It also has to cover workers who stay on site for their meal period. Below 80°F, workers can still ask for shade and get it.

Cool-down rest whenever it’s needed

A worker can take a preventative cool-down rest in the shade whenever they feel they need it, for at least five minutes. The supervisor checks on them during the break. If a worker shows signs of heat illness, first aid starts right away, and that worker isn’t left alone or sent home without being offered first aid or emergency medical care.

High-heat procedures at 95°F

When the temperature reaches 95°F, stricter procedures apply:

• A pre-shift meeting to review high-heat procedures and remind workers to drink water and take cool-down rests.
• Effective communication with a supervisor, by voice, observation, or radio or phone.
• Regular observation of every worker for signs of heat illness, through a buddy system or frequent check-ins.
• A designated person on site who can call emergency services.
• For agricultural work, a 10-minute preventative cool-down rest at least every two hours, with additional rests when a shift runs past eight hours.

Acclimatization for new workers and heat waves

People need time to adjust to working in the heat. A worker newly assigned to a hot area must be closely observed by a supervisor for their first 14 days. During a heat wave, when temperatures hit at least 80°F and run 10 degrees or more above the average high of the previous five days, every worker should be closely watched.

A plan for emergencies

Crews need a reliable way to reach emergency services, which can be a real problem in remote blocks with weak cell coverage. Supervisors should know clear directions to the work site and have a plan to bring a sick worker to a spot where an ambulance can reach them.

Training and a written plan

Every worker and supervisor must be trained on heat illness risk factors, symptoms, and the employer’s procedures before working in the heat. The heat illness prevention plan must be written, available at the work site, and provided in English and in the language most of the crew understands.

What growers can do

Share block locations and access routes so shade and restrooms can be set close to the work. Flag blocks with poor cell coverage. On the hottest weeks, talk with your contractor about earlier start times. And ask for a copy of their written heat plan before the season starts.

How our crews handle heat

Our foremen bring water and shade to every block, run a heat meeting before the shift on high-heat days, and keep new workers on a buddy system. We plan earlier starts in summer and adjust when the forecast changes. Read our compliance standards or request a crew.